Odom Halfhorn
Odom is a former Tauren self-exile who has found redemption in Thrall's Horde. He was born to a meager hunter-skinner family in Freewind Post. Now, he uses his Druidic teachings to bring honor to not only himself, but his people and the Horde. Early Life Odom Halfhorn was born as a Wildwalker to his parents, Honon and Sora Wildwalker. The Wildwalkers were a meager family with relatively few belongings. Honon, Odom's father was a hunter and leatherworker. Honon made frequent excursions to the Shimmering Flats in search of basilisk hide to cure into valuable leathers. Odom frequented these hunting trips with his father, who instilled valuable lessons of respect for the wild into him. The most valuable lesson being the delicate balance of life and death for survival that Odom and his kin would come to learn all too well... Reclaimation of Mulgore Sometime after the effort began to reclaim Tauren land from invading centaur, Odom and his family found themselves in a caravan of kodo and wagons heading north, for the delivery of goods to Camp Taurajo. The northern path into the Barren's usually gave not much harm to merchant and traveling Tauren. There was the occasional quillboar attack, but the sight of a caravan of Tauren usually naturally deterred aggression. This night was abnormally quiet, Odom was resting in the back of the wagon pulled by Barakah, a family pack kodo. Honon and Sora walked beside the wagon, sharing stories of old with one another. The Wildwalker wagon was in the back of the unusually thin Tauren merchant wagon train. The train had just made it past the ancestral home of the Razorfen quillboar, and the Wildwalker wagon began to lag further and further behind the rest of the Tauren merchant wagons. Suddenly a pack of displaced Galak tribe centaur began to edge behind Odom and his family. The group of centaur were three strong and as they sprung to attack Odom and his family, one centaur impaled Barakah with a well placed spear throw. Stunned, Sora tried to ascend the side of the wagon but was hamstrung by another centaur spearman. She collapsed to the ground unable to move as Honon was quickly overwhelmed, armed only with a crude staff. Odom, unarmed and in a fit of rage, leapt from the wagon to protect his family. Hastened by Odom's advance the centaur executed Honon, then quickly counterattacked Odom with a spear to the leg. The Tauren caravaneers in front of the Wildwalkers heard the commotion but continued on posthaste to safety. Odom and his mother were abducted and taken to a nearby ram-shack centaur camp. Sora died from blood loss and subsequent wounding that night in the centaur camp. Odom's tearshed seemed to fuel the centaur captors who in a fit of maniacal pleasure began hacking off portions of Odom's horns. Piece by piece was painstakingly removed all through the night, until a group of orcish outriders sent from Camp Taurajo raided the camp and saved Odom. By the time of his rescue, Odom's horns were ground to mere stumps, less than half of their original size. Ashamed, and wracked with guilt Odom could barely muster the confidence to speak to his saviors as they brought him back to safety in the Crossroads of the Barrens. Exile, Cenarion Redemption After extending thanks to Orcish menders for tending to his wounds, Odom sought to distance himself from the Crossroads and the world he knew. Without a single coin in his pocket Odom honored his father's lessons, wandering the northern Barrens until he came to the forests of Ashenvale. Wildwalker spent years in the forest, living just as his father Honon did off of the animals and grace of the wild. Wildwalker kept relatively to himself, and eventually made permanent camp outside the Night Elven town of Astranaar. Odom's presence soon became known the Elves of Astranaar and was merely tolerated, for what harm could a broken man inflict upon the mighty elves? Odom sold hide, leathers, and anything he could fashion from the product of his hunts with Kaldorei traders on the outskirts of town. The trade of hide soon became the trade of stories as he learnt basic Darnassian. Odom's passion for the wilds and loss of purpose got him brought before two scouts in the order of the Cenarion Circle. Wildwalker traveled through the enchanted glades of Ashenvale with his new mentors, healing animals and regions of the great forest itself that were afflicted by the blight of demonic fel corruption. After months of shadowing the Cenarion Druids, Odom found himself fluently able to mend wounds, and defend himself with natural magics. Odom began to find a new sense of purpose, a conviction to return to his people, a confidence in his ability to defend those in need. The trio returned to Odom's camp outside of Astranaar where they shared a last meal and exchange of words. Wildwalker thanked the pair of Druids and gave almost regretful goodbye, after which they assured him they would soon meet again. With everything packed up Wildwalker gave a glance back to the Cenarion scouts behind him and set out to return home, to Mulgore... Halfhorn, Reborn After crossing the arid Barrens and finding his way into his people's ancestral home, Odom found rest at Bloodhoof Village. Odom heard the newfound plights of his people and was referred to Camp Narache atop Red Cloud Mesa, to talk to Chief Hawkwind. As he ascended the mesa Odom took in the sight of the rolling plains of Mulgore, he was more sure of himself in that moment than he ever had been in his life. After meeting Hawkwind atop the mesa, the two set out on a walk to overlook the lands of the Tauren people. Odom explained the misgivings of his early life, how he felt he dishonored the name of his family, his people. Hawkwind assured him, "Your ancestors are just that Odom, ancestors to honor and make proud once again. Your spirit shall no longer be burdened as you are born anew, as Halfhorn." The two shared an embrace, "Halfhorn, I now ask of you of a humble task..." Category:Tauren Category:Druid